Fur softening and cleaning machine



'5. FRIEDMAN FUR SOFTENING AKD CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9. 1921 Afro/mers Patented July 24, 1923.

naiven stare intatte s earner orrica- SAMUEL' FRIEDMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

EUR sorfrnnnve AND CLEANING MACHINE.. v I f Application filed September To all w/zom t may concern.'

Be it known that L SAMUEL F RIEDMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Evergreen, borough of rooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a newr and Improved Fur Softening and Cleaning Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The inventionk relates -to furs and pelts and its objectfis to provide a new and improved machine more especially designed for softening and cleaning fur garments andfur skins in a very quick and effective manner and without danger of injury to the garment orto the fur skin.

` Another object is to facilitate the placing of the garment or fur skins into the machine for softening and cleaning purposes and to permit of removing the same therefrom after the softening and cleaning operation is completed. v

Another object is to permit of readily separating the sawdust or similar loose-mate-` rial used as a cleaning medium from the garmentsv or fur skins after the softening and cleaning thereof is' finished.

Janother object is to separate loose hairs from the sawdust to allow convenient and immediate re-use of the sawdust.

Another object is to provide a fur soften ing and cleaning machine which lis simple and durable in construction and composed of comparatively few parts not liable to vget easily out of order. l

A practical embodiment of the 'invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved fur softening and cleaning machine; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section of the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional side yelevation of the same on the line 3-.3 of Figure 2; p

Figure l is a cross section ofpart of the machine showing the gearing for driving the tumbling drum, the section being on the line 4-4' of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the mounting for the rubbing device; y

Figure 6 is a similar view of a modified form of the same; and

9, 1.921. serial no. 499,483.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of `the pressing and rubbing device. ,Y

The improved fur-softening and cleaning machine is mountedl n a suitably construct-- ed casing 10, preferably made of. sheet metall and provided at the front with a door opening 11 adapted to be opened' and closed' by a sliding door l12 mounted to slideexteriorly on the upper portion of the casing 10. Within the casing is 'arranged a' tumbling` drum or barrel 157 oreferably made of sheet metal, and having at the innery surface wooden heads 16 and wooden ledges 17 projecting inwardly from the inner4 surfaceof the rim 18 of the drum 15.

The ledges 17 are spaced yequal distances apart, andbetween two of the ledges is -arranged a door opening 20 adapted to be closed by a sliding door 21 mounted to slide, eXteriorly on the rim 18 of the drum 1 5,and similar to the sliding door 12. Within the door opening 20 in the rear of the door 21 when the latter is closed isl arranged a screen 25 slightly spaced from the door 21 when the latter is closed. `The screen 25 is pivoted on the ledge 17 at the bottom of the door opening 20 to permit of swingingfthe said screen 25 outwardly into an open position through j the door opening 11 at the time the doors 12 and 21 are` in openy position. It will be noticed that when the parts are in this position a fur garment, a fur skin ora plurality of either may be placed into the drum `15 for softeningandv cleaning purposes or for removing the same therefrom through the vdoor Vopenings 20 and l11 after the softening and cleaning operation is repeated. It will also be .noted that' through the door openingsll and 20 lsawdust or other similar 'loose cleaning 'material may be placed into the drum 15 toinsure a thorough cleaning of the garment or fur skin as hereinafter more fully explained; The drum 15 is preferably provided with' a seco-nd door opening 30, preferably located diametrically opposite the door opening 2O and likewise controlled by asli'ding door 31 mounted to slide on the exterior surface of the rim 18 of the drum 15.KV Within thevdo'or opening is also arranged a screen 32 which may be either hinged or :fixed permaf nently in the said door opening. `The doors 21 and 31 are both opened whenever it is desiredto discharge thersawdust, the dirt c l and Aloose hai@ .that maybe in the drum 1'5.

from the said drum into the casing 10,*as hereinafter more fully explained.

The drum is provided with trunnions and 41 journaled in suitable bearings 42 attached to brackets 43 fastened to the sides of the casing 10, and on the trunnion 41 is secured a gear wheel 45 in mesh with a pinion 46 secured on a shaft 47 journaled in a bracket 48 attached to the corresponding side of the casing 10. On' the shaft 47 is secured a pulley 50 connected by a belt 51 with a pulley 52 secured on the shaft 53 of la motor 54 of any approved construction, preferably, however, of the electric type and mounted' on the rearytop portion of the Y casing 10. It will be noticed that when the motor 54 is running a rotary motion is transmitted by the gearing just described to displacement in the truninons 40 and 41.

` The links l61 have their upper ends 66 projecting beyond the pivots 62 and the said ends 66 normally abut against stop ins 67 arranged on the links 73 thus normally holding the side arms 61 in angular position relative to the links 63as plainly indicated in Figure 2. By the arrangement described the rubbing and `pressing roller extends in close proximity to the ledges 17 as the latterk reach bottom positions and y hence the said rubbing and pressing roller 60 presses against ,the fur garment or, the fur skin as well as against the sawdust to rubthe latter into the fur to insure thorough softening and cleaning of the fur. It is understood that when the drum 15 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2 then a tumbling action is given to the fur. garment or the fur skin as the ledges 17 tend to carryil the garment or fur skin upward at the frontof the drum and to drop thereby dropping back on to the ledges 17' the same downward when nearing a top position within the drum. Owing Ito the centrifugal force exerted by the revolving drum on the fur` garment or skin the latter are thrown rearwardly and .downwardly and the rim 18V of the drum in the rear of the revolving pressing and rubbing roller 60. From the foregoing it will be seen that by the arrangement described the fur garment or fur skin is continually subjected to a tumbling action within 'the barrel under the influence of the sawdust and also to a rubbing and ypressing action by the roller 60. It will also be noticed that by mounting the rubbing and pressing roller 60 in the 4 manner described it yis suspended within the drum 15 and is wholly7 independent of the rotaryl motion of the drum. It is understoodv that when the drum is rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in'Figure 2, the

roller 60 by being in contact with the fur garment or the furskin is rotated and hence tends to soften the fur and to rub the sawdust into the same. Incase the garment or fur skin lumps itself owing to the tumbling action, the roller 60is liableto be carried upward a short distance in the direction of the rotation of the drum 15 until the lump is passed, after which the roller will return to its normal position in the lower portion of the drum 15. It is understood that in prac tice the rubbing and pressing roller is preferably formed of a shell of textile material filled with horsehair or other soft material.

After the softening and cleaning operation of the ygarment or fur skin hasl been completed then the tumbling drum 15 is stopped and the door 12 is opened to allow of opening the doors 21 andv31.r When this has been done and the drum 15 is rotated to allow the sawdust, dirt and loose hairs within the drum 15 to pass throughthe `screens 25 and 32 into the casing 10 and thus freeing the garment and the fur skinsvof the sawdust and dirt. The sawdust, dirt and loose hair collect in a drawer 70 removably held in the bottom of the casing 10. The drawer 70 is provided at the open top with a removable screen 71 of a mesh to allow the sawdust and dirt to pass through into the drawer but toV retain the loose hairs thus separating the `same from the sawdust. After the sawdust, dirt andhair have passed out of the tumbling drum 15 then the latter is stopped and the doo-r 12 isy opened with the door openings 20 and 11 in register with each other.,` The screen 25 is now swung outward into open position, as shown in Figure 2, to allow removal of the garment or fur 'skin and to allow'recharging of the drum with another garmenty or fur skin to bel softened and cleaned next. The `drawer 70 is removed from the casing 10 and then the screen 71 is lifted off to allow of freeing it of the loose vhairs while the sawdust contained in the drawer 70 can be emptied from the latter and freed of the-dirt for re-use inthe drum 15j ln `order to properly'guidethe sawdust, dirt and hair discharged from the drum 15 to the drawer 70 use is preferably made of}a defleeting plate or chute 72 arrangedk in the rear of the casing 10v and preferably -concentric with the drum 15.

In order to permit applying the soften# ing and cleaning deviceto be attached to a drum 15 of usual construction, as shown in the door 12 isagain closedV Figure 6,'the links 63 are mounted ori-studs 80 riveted or otherwise attached--to"plat`es 8l fastened lby bolts or other fastening 'devices 82 to the heads 1'6 ofthe drum.

It will'be noticed that in relling the'drum l5 with sawdust, the rdrawer 70 (withou-tfthe screen 7l) is preferably used-as a ychute for doing so by placing the drawer in the -"door openings 1l and QOfatthe timethe Adrum is in the position shown in "Figurel {aving Vthus describe-d -my invention, I claim as new "and desireto vseciire by Letters Patent:

l. 'ln a fur softening and cleaning 'lmachine, a rotatable tumbling drum, "a cushioned member, and suspension means suispending the said cushioned'member'within the drum in close proimitywi'th the inner surface of the drum. y

2. In a fur softening `and cleaning Amachine, a rotatable tumbling drum, a` cushion roller and suspension means on which the roller is journaled, the said suspension 'means being mounted to swing in the drum independent of the rotation thereof, the said'sus pension means supporting the' roller in close proximity to the Yinne-r surface of the drum to coact with the same in softening a fur garment or lfur skin.

3. In a fur softening and cleaning machine, a tumbling drum, a cushioned member adapted to press against the fur article to be softened, side arms carrying the said v cushioned member and links on which thev side arms are mounted to swing, the links being hung centrally in the Vtumbling drum.

4. In a fur softening and cleaning machine, a rotatable tumbling drum, a cushioned roller adapted to coact with the inner surface of the said tumbling drum, side arms in which the said roller is journaled, links pivotally connected with the said arms and provided with trunnions mounted to turn centrally in the said drum, the said links having stop pins and the said side arms being adapted to engage the said stop ins. p 5. In a fur softening and cleaning machine, a tumbling drum'adapted to contain a loose cleaning material anda rubbing device pivotally mounted within the said drum and adapted to enga-ge and press the fur article to be softened and cleaned againstl the inner surface of the said tumbling drum,

the said rubbing device rubbing the loosev cleaning material into the fur during the tumbling of the fur article in the drum.

6. In a fur softening and cleaning machine, a casing provided with a door, a tumbling drum mounted to turn in the-said casing and yhaving a door adapted to register with' the said casing door to allow of placing the fur article into the tumbling drum or to remove it therefrom,`the said tumbling drum being adapted to contain a casing.

and the hairs.

10aa 'eieaaiag maa-ranma stabbing.' aevice `su'spended 'within thes'aid tumbling dru'mand coa'cting with the inner n surface thereofand with the said loose cleaning ymaterial to-sften and clean the lfur article.

7 If-n a 4-fnr l#softening and cleaning machine,*a casing provided withfa-door, a tumbling djrum mounted'to turnvv inthe saidc'asing an dihairingv 4'a door adapted 'to register withthe-said 'casi-ngdorto allow of 'placing' the fur article into thetuinbling drum or to L remove itithe-refrom, lthe said tumbling drum drum "inrefgist'er withthfe "saiddrumdoor tov allowthe loose' cleaning material, vdirt land loosehairs tofpas's u'tif the drum intot'hel `r8. In Av'a fursoftening and cleaning ma-v chine, a 'casing provided withfa door, a tum-l bling drum mountedto turn'in the said cfas-` ing and having aldoor adapted to register with the said casing drtoallow of placing the fur'articlefintofthe'tumbling drum or to remove it therefrom,'the"`said tumbling drum being adapted to contain aloose cleaning in the said tumbling drum and coacting with the inner surface thereof and with the saidloose cleaning material to soften and clean the fur article, a screen mounted in the drum in register with the said drum door to allow the loose cleaning material, dirt and loose hairs to said casing having a drawer arranged in the bottom thereof' adapted to receive'the said sis .95 material, a rubbing device suspended withpass out of the drum into the casing,

cleaning material, dirt and hairs discharged;

from the drum. y 4

9. In a fur softening and cleaning machine, a casing provided with a door, a tumbling druml mounted to turn in the said casing and having a door yadapted to register with: the said casing door to allow of plac- -ing the fur article into the tumbling drum or to remove it therefrom, the said tumbling drum being adapted to contain a loose cleanf ing material, a rubbing' device suspended i within the said tumbling drum and coa'oting withthe inner surface thereof and with the said loose cleaning ,material to soften and clean the fur' article, a screen mounted in the drum in register with the said drum door to allow the loose cleaning material, dirt and loosehairs to passout of the drum into i the casing, said casing being provided with a drawer arranged inthe bottom thereof adapted toi-receive the `said cleaning mate-` rial, dirt and hairs discharged from the drum, the said drawer having a separating means for separatingthe cleaning material door and a, screen inthe doorl opening in the l0.A lnfainr'softening and Cleaning nia--I chine,l-atn1nbling druin'fprovided with. a

Y rearof the door.

.ofv the door-and adept-ed to` swing outward through the door ,openinginto open i position at the time the. seid slidingdoor isin open'.

position,

`12. In a., iur ysoftening and cleaning-'niaohine, a tumbling drum provided with av door opening, e sliding door onthe outside and vcontrolling. the door openingy and n t screen hinged inthe door opening in the rear of thedoor andedapted to swing ont- Ward through: the .door opening into'` openv posit-ion at the time the lsaidsliding doory isi in open position, and i` second doorv opening, sliding.- doorv and screenon the drum approximately vdiametriee'lly opposite the said lirst-na1ned door opening.

`13. ln a fur sotening and cleaning Ina-r ehine, a'tuinbling drum provided'- with al door opening, a sliding door ony the outside and` controlling the door opening and n sereenhinged in the door v'opening in the rear of the doo:y and adapted to swing out- Wardthrongh the door opening into open position at the time the said 'sliding door is in open position, a, second door opening', sliding, door and kscreen kon the drum approximately diametrioally opposite the ssi-id nist-named door opening, a easing enclosing the said tumbling drum and e drawer in the bottom of these-id casing.

1 lhln e fur softeningend Cleaning nie Chine, rt'revolnhle tumbling drum adapted to contain fur varticles and provided :it the inner surface with ledges and e rubbing device inountedto swing in the drum independent of the rotetionthereo and adapted to coaet with thesaid ledges to rnb the 'fur articles es the rlatterpmss between the rnbhing device and the ledges.

l5. In a fur softening and cleaning nie- Chine, a casing enclosing e tumbling drinn having ineensi'or discharging a loose clean ing material, dirt and hair therefrom, and a collecting receptacle for reoeiving'the discharged Cleaning-material, dirt` end'heirs and hevingseparating means Jfor separating the loose cleaning material from the hair.

SAMUEL FREDMAN. 

